Nozzle



F. W. OFELDT Nov. 6, 1951 NOZZLE Filed Dec. 14. 1946 INVENTOR. 5% Am MUFELDT Patented Nov. 6, 1;)51

' v Application December 14, 1946, Serial No. 716,238

This invention relates "generally to method and apparatus for controlling the discharge of 'a'spray' mixture composed of liquid and vapor-of aili'quidunder pressure and more particularly to a nozzle of a spray gun through which'this spray mixture is discharged;

The generation of a spraymixture of liquid and vapor of a liquid may be produced asdisclosed in S; Letters Patent No. 2,289,674: and the patents referred to therein. Such a spray mixture may be made by supplying a metered amount of a'spray solution to a heating zone and converting a portion thereof-into vapor or steam under pressure to form the spray mixture by the application of a predetermined amount of heat which is correlated with the-amount'of the spray solution supplied.

When a spray mixture of this character is-dis charged to atmosphere, the latent heat contained therein atomizes the liquid producing a finely divided spray or mist'whichis effective for V cleaning or for agricultural spraying when the proper chemicals are mixed'with the original solution. "When employing "the' spray mixture for cleaning; purposes it is necessary 'to hold'the "end of the nozzle very close to the "surface to'be cleaned in order to utilize-the force of the atom ized liquid as "an effective cleaning "agent."" Fre quently the reflected mist from the surface being cleaned obliterates the cleaning "action from the view of the operator'unless'th'enozzle is held in such a way'as to-permit the-forceful'spray'to im inge the surface being 'cleanedat a sharp anglecauSing 'most ofrthe fine droplets of water,

to strike the surface'being-clea'ned and'glance in substantially the same direction. "However the best cleaning action-is of courseobtainedwhen the axis of the mouth-of the nozzle is held'substantially normal to the surface being cleaned,

and then when-the nozzle is very close thereto 'as' the flashing action-of the vapor under pressure; inatomizingthe'liquid is mosteffective as a cleaning agentwhen the mouth of the'nozz'le'is but a few inches from the surface-being'cleaned.

The principal object of this invention 'is'the' provision of a noz'zle which provides-a pre-flas'h-' Another object is-the provision of a nozzle-that is simplified in structure and economical to pro- 5 3 Claims. (c1. 299;;107

Another .object is the provision .of a nozzle-for usesin discharging aspray mixture of liquiclar-id vapor of a liquid. under pressure which provides...

1 an expansion chamber that is effective in cont-a ventin .a spray mixture into a stream having a:

corewof "condensed liquid slugs efiective in .clean-H; inga surface at a considerable distance from the.

mouthof the nozzle. 1 o 7.

Another object is the provision of a nozzle; having anexpansion chamber and a bore of pro; r 0n n n for produ n a predeten mined character of spray. 7 c

Other objects and advantages appear herein-r after in the following description and claims. I

A practical embodiment illustrating the principles of .this invention is shown in the accompa iy i g aw l li o a c i Fig. i isa sectional View of a nozzle comprising i this invention.

Fig 2 isa sectional View of a modified nozzle structure comprising this invention. I I

"The no'zzle of Fig. 1 comprises a hollow mouth nipple fl vvhich is provided with a bore :2, prefer ably of uniform ,diameter throughoutits length,

The inner endof the. nozzle mouth nipple i may be threaded or otherwise secured within the bore 3 of 'the'redu'cing" sleeve -4. The smaller bore 5'; ofthereducing sleeve 4 is arranged to threadably receive the pipe nipple 6. The pipe nipple G is bent-at 'lflto'provijde an angular disposition of the nozzle relative to the spray gun which is axially aligned with the portion 8 ofthe'nipplefi. The 1 end of the portion 8 of the nipple 6 is threadedat 1 9so as to receive the small end of the second re ducing' sleeve ill]. The'other threaded bore ll of the reducing sleeve 'lU'is arranged to besecured to 'the threaded end of the'spray gun tube which is not shown. V

The two' reducing sleeves t and I0, used pin makingiup' the spray gun nozzle as shown, -.are" the same; being referred to commercially as a" malleable quarter by three-.eighths' inch reduce irig sleeve. When the reducing sleeves of this size are employed, thenozzle mouth nipple .l should'be a standard three-eighths inch pipe nipple approximately one and one-half inches long. The bore! of this nipple is approximately one-half of an inch in diameter. The nipple 6 is preferablyconstructed from what is known asf-an' extra heavy 'quarter inch pipe, the outer: diameter-'of- -which is usually considerably reater than a quarter inch, the inner diameter being approximately fivesixteenthsfof" an inch. "The:

Oiitl'et end of the nipple-'6 'is'-'provided 'with an" asvaosa s outwarding flaring mouth I2 which extends approximately five-eighths of an inch into the bore of the nipple 6 and has an included angle of approximately fourteen and one-half degrees.

When the threaded ends of the nipple I and the nipple 6 are screwed into the reducing sleeve 4 the latter provides between their ends an expansion chamber I3, which is approximately three-fourths of an inch in diameter and is larger than the bore 2 of the nipple I and is approximately a half inch long.

If a chamber, such as an expansion chamber I3, is not provided between a nipple 6 and the nipple l, the spray mixture of a liquid and vapor of a liquid under pressure when discharged from the nozzle to atmosphere employ the latentheat to fully atomize all of the liquid in producing a spray. However, the chamber I3 of the sleeve 4 provides space for the expansion of the vapor of the spray mixture. This expansion space permits the vapor to react upon the liquid and convert it into a concentrated mass of liquid slugs which substantially fills the mouth opening of the nipple l and gradually diminishes to a point to produce the cone-shaped core I4 that extends several feet from the mouth of the nozzle. The heated slugs of water become atomized as the spray steam progresses to provide an outer annular zone I5 of the atomized water droplets or particles, which zone becomes increasingly larger as the core I4 becomes smaller.

The outwardly flaring'nozzle mouth I2 functions to increase the velocity of the spray mixture, thereby obtaining the full value of the vapor under pressure in the spray mixture.

Similar nozzles that are proportioned from approximately the same dimensions as that disclosed provide a similar spraying action in discharging a spray mixture of liquid and vapor of a liquid under pressure. Relocation of the expansion chamber I3 relative to the outwardly flaring mouth I2 requires a change of the length of the nipple I to produce the same desired results. When the expansion chamber I3 is placed at or beyond the end of the outwardly flaring mouth E2 of the nipple 6 as shown in Fig. 1, it is in a position to immediately receive the expanding vapor and quickly reacts upon the liquid within the short nipple I to produce the concentrated liquid slugs in the spray stream. This permits the use of a short nipple I which in this instance is approximately one and one-half inches long. However when the expansion chamber I3 is placed partially or wholly in back of, or surrounding the outwardly flaring mouth I2 it is necessary to increase the length of the nipple I to obtain the same spray stream efiect because the vapor under pressure requires a longer nipple I to react on the spray mixture and produce a spray stream with concentrated liquid slugs. Such a structure is shown in Fig. 2 wherein the outer nozzle I6 is a pipe nipple having the inner nozzle I! inserted in one end. The nozzle I1 is smaller than the bore of the nozzle I6 and is telescoped therein. The nozzle I1 is provided with the annular flange I8 arranged to fit and close the bore of the nozzle I6 at its rear end. This shoulder also provides the annular chamber 20 with the bore of the nozzle I6 and the outerwall of the inner nozzle I1, which chamber opens into the bore of the nozzle IS in the same plane. as the outwardly 2| is connected to the small bore 22. The back of the nozzle I1 is faced at 23 in a plane disposed at an angle relative to the axis of the nozzles. A recess 24 surrounding the bore 22 is formed in the face 23 to receive the end of the tube 25 which forms a part of the spray gun that delivers the spray mixture from the generator to the nozzle structure.

As shown in Fig. 2 the nipple or nozzle I6 is materially longer than the nipple I of Fig. 1 which is necessary to make the nozzle properly function when the expansion chamber 23 is behind the inner nozzle mouth 2I when the other dimensions are substantially the same. If the flange 28 is permitted to extend to the mouth 2| of the nozzle I I and eliminate the chamber 20, this nozzle will function to flash all of the spray mixture into a finely divided atomized mist.

If water were supplied to the chamber 20 this nozzle would be the sameas that disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 716,239, filed December 14, 1946, now Patent No. 2,552,644 granted May 15, 1951.

These nozzles provide a fifty percent greater cleaning effect'than'a'ny other 'nozzle known or used heretofore with a spray mixture of liquid and vapor of a liquid.

I claim:

1. A spray nozzle structure comprising, a tubular member having an unobstructed bore of constant cross-sectional shape and area for disspray mixture under pressure of liquid and vapor of a liquid, and a closed reaction chamber open only to the bores of said tubular members at their juncture to provide a reaction zone for the vapor of the fluid spray mixture upon passing from the second tubular member to the first tubular member.

2. A spray nozzle structure comprising, a sleeve, a, nipple, having an unobstructed bore of constant cross-sectional shape and area for discharging a spray and having one end mounted in one end of said sleeve, a second nipple the bore of which has an outwardly flaring mouth smaller than the bore of the first nipple and mounted in the other end of said sleeve to discharge a fluid spray mixture under pressure of liquid and vaporof a liquidfrom the outwardly flaring mouth through the sleeve and into the bore of the first nipple, the chamber in the sleeve between the ends of the nipples providing a reaction zone for the vapor of the fluid spray mixture upon passing from the outwardly flaring mouth of the second nipple to the first nipple.

3. In a spray nozzle structure the combination of, a, large nozzle having an unobstructed bore of constant cross-sectional shape and area for the discharge of a spray stream, a smaller nozzle inserted into one end of the larger nozzle and having a bore to receive and direct a spray mixture of liquid and vapor of a liquid under pressure to thelarger nozzle, an outwardly flaring mouth at the discharge end of the smaller nozzle, an outwardly extending shoulder on the smaller nozzle to engage and close said one end of the larger nozzle and defining a closed reaction chamber between the bore of the large nozzle and the perimetral surface of the smaller nozzle, said'chamber opens only to the bores of said "nozzles at their juncture to provide adieaction zone for the vapor of the fluid spray mixture upon passing from the smaller nozzle to the larger nozzle.

FRANK W. OFELDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 15 Number Name Date Remey Feb. 17, 1931 Smith Apr. 14, 1931 Lally June 30, 1931 James Oct. 13, 1931 Fantz Aug. 30, 1932 Estock Oct. 18, 1932 Reitlinger Nov. 5, 1935 Schaaf Oct. 14, 1935 Ensminger Apr. 15, 1941 Huthsing June 13, 1944 Jackson Dec. 25, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain June 7, 1923 

